Jargon

Handrail - Another term for line feature. Better orienteers may run parallel to the line feature using it as a guide or "handrail".

Home International - Annual contest between teams representing England, Wales, Scotland, & Ireland. One of these days Wales will win.

IOF - International Orienteering Federation. The people who run the sport and organise the world championships etc.

JIRC - Junior Inter-Regional Championships. An annual team contest for our better juniors. It is a 2-day competition with individual runs on the first day and relays on the second. Both days contribute points to the overall result. Held at the end of June each year.

JK - This is the big one, an event that is probably bigger and more prestigious than the British Championship. The Jan Kjellström festival of orienteering, called the J K because no-one knows how to pronounce the full title properly .It is an annual event held over the Easter weekend at a different venue each year. In 2002 it was held in the Forest of Dean, so we didn't have to travel too far. In 2004 it is in the Lake District. The event is named after a Swede who helped introduce the sport to this country.

Junior - Someone who is under 21 years of age.

Kite - The red and white marker made of some nylon type of material hanging on a cane at every control site (and at the center of the Start triangle).

Knoll - A small hill.

Light Green course - A moderately technical course at a colour-coded event. Longer and harder than Orange, shorter and easier than Green.

Line feature - Anything on the map, which can be followed, such as a path, stream, or wall (appears as a line on the map).